Lessons on Living from Daniel YOU CAN DEPEND ON IT

Daily Strength Blog

DANIEL 7:1-3
In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head
while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts. Daniel spoke,
saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up
the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the see, each different from the other.”
The following statements are taken from official documents, newspapers and magazines
widely read during their day. Listen to what the “authorities” had to say: “Anyone traveling at
the speed of thirty miles per hour would surely suffocate” (1840).
“Electric lights are unworthy of serious attention” (1878). “No possible combination can be
united into a practical machine by which men shall fly” (1901).
“This foolish idea of shooting at the moon is basically impossible” (1926).
“To harness the energy locked up in matter is impossible” (1930).
It’s obvious that the accuracy of all these “prophecies” left something to be desired. They
were all based on human wisdom, and every one of them turned out to be false.

Yet the prophecies Daniel shared were quite, different. As he foresaw the rise of these four
great beasts, which represent four earthly kingdoms, he was not drawing from his own
knowledge and wisdom. Instead, he was relating a vision that was given to him directly from
God.
While people may disagree as to which kingdoms these beasts represent, the rock-solid
assurance we have is that God is still in control.
After describing these frightening apparitions, Daniel proceeded to describe a scene in
heaven in which “the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his [the fourth and last
beast’s] dominion” (v, 26).
If you ‘are frightened by the future, take confidence in this: God is still on His throne and He
always will be. The courts of heaven are in session and they will rule in our favor (v, 27).
That’s something you can bank on.
FEAR GOD AND YOU DON’T NEED TO FEAR THE FUTURE.